Essential questions you should be asking your clients

In today’s economy, the legal field is fierce. If you are not asking your clients about their growing business needs, it’s safe to assume that someone else is.

There are many opportunities throughout the life cycle of a client relationship for you to stop and check on your progress, whether it’s before you sign a retainer, midway through a case, or 20 years in.

• How do you evaluate work product? What is your definition of responsiveness?

After working on several matters for clients, you will learn their style and how they evaluate your work product. Don’t wait until several matters down the road; be proactive in establishing expectations from the onset of the relationship.

When working with a team of lawyers, it’s imperative that, as the lead attorney on the account, you effectively communicate your client’s expectation to all the constituents involved.

Often a colleague is not privy to all of the lead attorney’s activity and may be in a position to best serve the client.

As an example, a colleague may not be able to reach the client on a time-sensitive matter because he was not aware that the best way to reach the client was via email, not telephone.

You need to keep your clients and colleagues in the loop by knowing their preferred method of communication and their expectations on your responsiveness.

• Are there certain technology solutions you have found effective that we should be implementing?

In establishing an understanding of their firm’s services, attorneys need to ensure that they are differentiating themselves from their competitors.

Are there certain technology solutions that you have found effective and should be implementing? Is your firm’s billing software compatible with your client’s needs?

Does the client have billing software that your attorneys need to know how to manage? Would it be beneficial for your clients to have an Extranet on your website in order to log-in and check on billing, the progression of matters, etc.?

Understanding your client’s technology needs will promote a more efficient internal process, as well as a healthy client relationship.

• What billing format do you prefer?

It’s important to understand how your client would like to be billed. Most clients do not like surprises. If you are going to send a large bill to a client, give him a courtesy call beforehand to let him know the details of the bill. Your client will be happier and you will get paid faster.

I recently interviewed the general counsel of a large retail chain and asked him what he disliked about attorney bills. He said one pet peeve is when he receives a bill and notices a line item for one tenth of an hour.

“What can an attorney possibly be doing that is worth paying ‘X’ amount for one-tenth of an hour?” he asked.

• What are the top three challenges you face (personally/professionally)?

You always want to anticipate challenges that your client may face in the future, and the best way to figure that out is simply to ask. You may be surprised by the hidden opportunities that you uncover.

By discovering and providing solutions to potential issues that are or are not related to your expertise, your client will inherently think of you and your firm as a one-stop shop for all legal advice.

For example, during a meeting with general counsel, inquire about challenges the client is facing that are unrelated to your case. Perhaps the client reveals an impending securities issue, but simply had not thought of enlisting your services because you had not worked together in that specific field.

Now is your opportunity to tout your firm’s capabilities in the field and your confidence in being able to provide a solution.

The bottom line is that whether it’s over a telephone call, at an annual meeting or during a formal client interview program, you need to be constantly communicating with your client to seek specific feedback about your performance.

Aria K. Antonopoulos is the director of marketing and client services at Bernkopf Goodman in Boston. She can be contacted at aantonopoulos@bg-llp.com.